Isolated insulating gate structure

Abstract

Systems and methods are presented for forming a gate structure comprising an insulative portion, whereby the insulative portion is utilized to electrically isolate an electrically conductive portion of the gate structure from a conductive element located in the vicinity of the gate structure. The insulative portion is formed by chemically modifying a conductive portion of the gate. Chemical modification is an oxidation process, converting aluminum conductor to aluminum oxide insulator material. Utilizing a chemically modified gate structure enables self aligning contact technique(s) to be utilized with semiconductor devices comprising a replacement metal gate(s). The chemical modification process can be performed prior or after forming a contact opening.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A semiconductor structure, comprising:
 a gate, further comprising: 
 a first portion of the gate comprising a conductive material; and 
 a second portion of the gate consisting of a non-conductive material, the second portion being on a top surface of the first portion and covering a whole of the top surface of the first portion; 
 a conductive layer directly formed on a side wall of the first portion of the gate except a side wall of an upper portion of the first portion of the gate, and directly formed on a bottom of the first portion of the gate; and 
 an insulator layer directly formed on the side wall of the upper portion of the first portion of the gate and directly formed on a side wall of the second portion of the gate, on one of a first side and a second side of the second portion, the second side being opposite to the first side. 
 
     
     
       2. The semiconductor of  claim 1 , wherein the conductive material is a metal. 
     
     
       3. The semiconductor of  claim 2 , wherein the metal is aluminum. 
     
     
       4. The semiconductor of  claim 3 , wherein the second portion of the gate is aluminum oxide. 
     
     
       5. The semiconductor of  claim 1 , wherein the insulator is in direct contact with the side wall of the upper portion of the first portion of the gate, the conductor layer, and the second portion of the gate. 
     
     
       6. The semiconductor of  claim 1 , further comprising a connector proximate to the gate, and wherein the second portion of the gate and the insulator layer act to electrically isolate the first portion of the gate from the connector. 
     
     
       7. The semiconductor of  claim 6 , wherein the insulator layer has an opening and the second portion of the gate electrically isolate the first portion of the gate from the connector at the opening. 
     
     
       8. The semiconductor of  claim 1 , wherein the insulator layer includes a first insulator and a second insulator, the first insulator being directly formed on the side wall of the upper portion of the first portion of the gate and directly formed on the side wall of the second portion of the gate, on the one of the first side and the second side, and the second insulator being directly formed on a side wall of the upper portion of the first portion of the gate and directly formed on a side wall of the second portion of the gate, on an other side of the first side and the second side. 
     
     
       9. The semiconductor of  claim 8 , wherein a connector is formed in a contact opening, the connector contacts at least one of the first insulator, the second insulator, and the second portion of the gate. 
     
     
       10. The semiconductor of  claim 9 , wherein the first insulator is in direct contact with the side wall of the upper portion of the first portion of the gate, the conductive layer and the second portion of the gate.